Player of the Week:
AJ Griffin, SF, #7 Duke Blue Devils
The incredible emergence of AJ Griffin continued this week with a pair of stellar performances to launch his team to the top of the ACC standings. North Carolina had no answers for the 6’6 freshman who got whatever he wanted on the offensive end. Griffin finished with 27 points, leading all scorers, and seemed to come up with every back-breaking shot to kill any sort of momentum the Tar Heels got going.
Who’s Hot?
Brady Manek, PF, North Carolina Tar Heels
The Oklahoma transfer was the only bright spot as Duke dismantled the Tar Heels on their home floor. Manek did everything in his power to keep the Heels competitive, but his 21 points and 6 threes were not enough as UNC fell to the Blue Devils by 20. Manek received a huge ovation after he played his heart out for the first 35 minutes before Hubert Davis conceded and gave him a much-deserved rest.
Keve Aluma, SF/PF, Virginia Tech Hokies
Between two unproductive games, Aluma found his shot with a 24-point game to carry the Hokies over a pesky Georgia Tech squad. The 6’9 Wofford transfer is averaging 15 points per game and has scored in double-digits in 20 of his 24 games this season. The Hokies have to run the table and go to the ACC Tournament Championship to have a chance at the NCAA Tournament, but this team is talented and figuring things out in a weak ACC.
Who’s Not?
Blake Wesley, SG, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
After a scintillating start to the season and a projected jump into the lottery, the true freshman is shooting 25% from the field and 12% from the perimeter in his last five games. His struggles to finish around the rim are catching up to him, and what was supposed to be a breakout week against Duke and Miami, turned into a slump that he’s struggling to break out of.
Miami Hurricanes
Even with Notre Dame’s best player struggling, Miami was unable to defeat them on their home floor and have now lost 4 of their last 7 to lose their grip on the 1-seed in the ACC. Saturday wasn’t much better for the Canes. A 13-point loss to Virginia has them back on the bubble and fighting for their NCAA Tournament life.
Freshman of the Week:
Paolo Banchero, PF, #7 Duke Blue Devils
It’s rare to see a freshman achieve double-digit scoring in each of his first 22 games, but that’s exactly what Duke’s superstar is doing to start the season. The projected top-5 pick is living up to the hype, averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils in both categories. This week was another step in showing NBA teams that he can impact the game in a variety of ways even if he is having a tough night shooting.
Top 5 Underrated Players
PG: Joe Girard, Syracuse Orange
It’s a stretch to say he is underrated, but a lot of the attention for Syracuse goes to the Boeheim brothers thanks to their dad and head coach, Jim Boeheim. Girard shoots a tremendous percentage from the perimeter and he does it while chucking up six threes per game, with many of them coming from well beyond NBA range.
SG: Terquavion Smith, NC State Wolfpack
Dereon Seabron is the emerging star for the Wolfpack, but the future is in great hands with Smith becoming a breakout star in his freshman season. Many people don’t realize he is averaging 16 points per game while making the most total threes and threes per game in the conference.
SF: Jake LaRavia, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
LaRavia is another star who is being overshadowed by a breakout star in Alondes Williams. LaRavia transferred in from Indiana State and immediately solidified the frontcourt in Winston-Salem while turning the Demon Deacons into a legitimate threat in the ACC and in the NCAA Tournament.
PF: Justyn Mutts, Virginia Tech Hokies
The impact from Justyn Mutts goes well beyond the box score as he makes more winning plays than most players in the conference, while doing it without points for the most part. He is solid defensively and the Hokies would be a heck of a lot worse without him, so don’t take him for granted Hokies fans.
C: Nate Laszewski, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
It’s hard for centers to go unnoticed simply because of the sheer size and power they typically play with. Laszewski is one of those guys who plays with finesse and is capable of exploding in any given game. His ability to stretch the floor and catch fire in a flash make him a great piece for a team aspiring to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 5 years.